Chasing Dragons

Donato Giancola

Thursday, August 25th, 2016

-By Donato

Puff the Magic Dragon – animated TV film still 1978

This evening as we discussed what new (or old) films we would be interested in viewing together as a family, the subject of Puff the Magic Dragon came up. As I browsed through the lyrics and had a listen to the song by Peter, Paul and Mary for the first time in nearly 15 years (a song my wife cannot stand, but I love!), I reflected upon how powerful a simple statement like this song can be as a motivator and mirror to the choices and passions we have in our lives. In light of a recent award from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists I was going to post today about undertaking challenges in art in order to achieve great goals and recognition.

But what I realized is that the driving force behind much of my critical success was not the sole need to achieve great things (awards, sales, etc), but rather the desire to bring forth and share the passions I have grown with since being a child. Obviously I have enjoyed the recognition and praise that comes with peer awards, but true critical, artistic excellence is founded on the deep desires of expression. It is from these wellsprings that the perseverance, determination, and sacrifices needed to bring forth bold expressions in our art are found, sustained and nurtured.

The notes to this song and story are fixed deep. For inside me is that little boy who listened to this song as a child, grew up with it as a young man, and now contemplates it as an aging adult – forever feeling joy at ‘frolicks in the autumn mist‘ and sadness creeping as ‘Puff ceased his fearless roar.’

I think of the rollercoaster ride my life and career has been, alternating between the ups and downs of emotions, developments, choices, celebrations, defeats, etc… You cannot select only the high points and live for those. The journey is unpredictable, unknowing. What keeps me coming back to the drafting table again and again, is the unending passion and joy in sharing a story I care about.

Chase your Dragons. Seek them out and continue to play with them, no matter how, no matter where you are at in your career. For when you put aside your joy of play, the dragon creeps away to silently die…

Beren and Luthien in the Court of Thingol and Melian – Donato Giancola – 114″ x 60″ Oil on Linen Chesley Award for Best Unpublished Work 2015

Peter, Paul & Mary

Puff, The Magic Dragon

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Little Jackie paper loved that rascal puff,
And brought him strings and sealing wax and other fancy stuff. oh

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Together they would travel on a boat with billowed sail
Jackie kept a lookout perched on puffs gigantic tail,
Noble kings and princes would bow whene’r they came,
Pirate ships would lower their flag when puff roared out his name. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Dragons live forever but not so little boys
Painted wings and giant strings make way for other toys.
One sad night it happened, Jackie Paper came no more
And Puff that mighty dragon, he ceased his fearless roar.

His head was bent in sorrow, green scales fell like rain,
Puff no longer went to play along the cherry lane.
Without his life-long friend, puff could not be brave,
So puff that mighty dragon sadly slipped into his cave. oh!

Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee,
Puff, the magic dragon lived by the sea
And frolicked in the autumn mist in a land called Honah Lee.

Born in 1967 and raised in Colchester, Vermont, USA, art was always a hobby for Donato as a young man, he would steal away into the basement of his parents' home to work on drawings, create his own maps for the game Dungeons & Dragons, paint figurines, read comics, and construct model tanks and dinosaurs. His love of imaginative play dominated his childhood, both indoors and out. At the age of twenty Donato enrolled in his first formal art class, the beginning of his professional training. Immediately after graduating Summa Cum Laude with a BFA in Painting from Syracuse University in 1992, Donato moved to New York City to immerse himself in the inspired and varied art scene. Formative years in the early nineties were spent as the studio assistant to the preeminent figure painter Vincent Desiderio, and long days of study in the museums of New York. It was then that his love and appreciation of classical figurative art took hold. He continues his training even now, visiting museums regularly, learning from and sometimes copying original paintings by Rembrandt or Rubens, attending life drawing sessions with illustrator friends and constantly challenges himself within each new project. Pilgrimages to major museums are his preferred reason to travel.
Over this past year Donato has released the revised hard cover compilation of his works on the theme of J.R.R. Tolkien, Middle-Earth: Journeys in Myth and Legend from Dark Horse Comics.

The song always depressed me probably because I saw the allegory even while I was that kid. There's a great little on-line film in 4 segments called What Lives Inside which kind of explores a similar story. So worth watching.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTtH2yxGflE

The song always depressed me probably because I saw the allegory even while I was that kid. There's a great little on-line film in 4 segments called What Lives Inside which kind of explores a similar story. So worth watching.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTtH2yxGflE